


Lost and Found

by MaxBetta



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, mild violence, sansan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-07-22
Packaged: 2019-05-16 06:22:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14806005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaxBetta/pseuds/MaxBetta
Summary: After becoming lost in the woods, Sansa finds herself living on a compound led by Sandor, a man they call King. Her plan for escape will work, if she can avoid distractions.





	1. Chapter 1

 Sansa was going to die, she was sure of it. It had been at least three days since she had left her family’s home to go on a simple hike, but an unexpected storm threw her off course. She had relied on an app on her phone instead of a physical map, so when her phone battery died, so did her chances of finding her way back home.  She was starving and dehydrated, and she hadn’t slept much at all...which made it all too easy for the two strange men to capture her. She didn’t see or hear them until they were already just a couple of feet away, and by then it was too late. Exhausted and malnourished, she gave in without a fight. They each picked her up under an arm and carried her toward a large navy blue pickup truck. After setting her into the back, the men got into the cab and started driving. It was around that point when she lost consciousness.

 

Sansa awoke in a dark cell, her mouth gagged and her hands tied behind her back. The floor was hard concrete, and the walls were solid and made of painted cinder block. Her stomach grumbled and her head was pounding. If she didn’t eat something, or at least drink some water, and soon, she wasn’t going to make it. The pain in her head increased when there was a sudden pounding knock on the cell door. She squinted her eyes at the light when the door swung open, and in stepped the largest man she had ever seen. He had to have been almost seven feet tall, and wide like a lumberjack. He was wearing distressed jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black leather jacket. His face was worn and rough looking, with scars that almost covered the entire half of the left side. His straight black hair was long enough that it partially covered his steel grey eyes. He had a salt and pepper beard that was long overdue for a trim. If she hadn’t been on the brink of death, she would have been intimidated.

 

“Good morning, sunshine. Sleep well?” He set a tray on the floor in front of her. It had half a sandwich, an apple, and a glass of water. She wanted to throw her entire body at the tray to get the food in her, but with her mouth gagged and her hands tied, it wouldn’t have done much good.

 

“Now, I’m gonna help you out so you can enjoy this delicious meal we’ve got for you, but you gotta promise to be nice, deal?”

 

Sansa gave a weak nod, and the man pulled out a switchblade. She flinched, which amused him, but then he used the knife to cut the gag and the rope that was wrapped around her wrists.

 

Sansa started gulping down water, then shoveling the sandwich in her mouth. It was just tuna and mayo on white bread, but to her it was pure heaven.  

 

“Whoa, whoa, slow down there, baby. You’re gonna make yourself sick. There’s plenty more where that came from. If you finish, we’ll get you another tray.”

 

Sansa paused and looked up at him, her curiosity evident. “Who are you?”

 

He gave her a mischievous grin. “I’m Sandor, Sandor Clegane, but here they call me the King.”

 

Sansa chuckled with a mouthful of apple, then swallowed. “King?  King of what?”

 

“King of this here commune. I’m the head honcho, the man in charge.”

 

Sansa took a few more bites of sandwich and swallowed again. “Commune?  Where the hell am I?”

 

“Clegane’s Cross. We’re a community of about 300 people, mostly men. We live and work here. As soon as you’re done eating, I’ll let you bathe and then I’ll give you a tour.”

 

Sansa didn’t hesitate to reply. “I don’t want a tour, I want to go home.”

 

“Well now, I hate to burst your bubble, but that ain’t gonna happen. See, once someone comes into our community, they stay. That’s the rules.”

 

Sansa stood so quickly and with such gumption that it made Sandor take a step back. “First of all, I didn’t come here, two assholes kidnapped me. Second, I want no part of whatever the hell this is. Now give me my backpack and my phone and let me go!”

 

Sandor gave in to a deep chuckle. “I’d always heard that redheads had fiery tempers, I guess now I know it’s true.” He took a couple steps closer and leaned down so that they were face to face. “You will stay here. That’s it. It’s final. And don’t bother trying to escape, there’s at least thirty miles of forest between us and civilization. You will be given a room, and you will be given a job in order to earn that room. This is your life now. This is your home. Understood?”

 

Sansa nodded silently, but inside she was screaming. She was going to escape. She had to. Her family would be worried sick about her, and she had no desire to live in a cult or whatever the hell this place was. She was going to get out of there, she just needed a plan. She had to wait, though. She had to approach it like a game of chess. It wasn’t about the first move, it was about the final move and setting up everything that would come before it.

 

***

 

The hot shower felt like heaven, even though she was being supervised the whole time. They guy they called “Dantos” stood at the door. He was ordered to keep a close watch in case she tried to escape. He seemed slow, a real fool. Sansa was rinsing the conditioner from her hair when she thought of how to proceed with her plan. Sandor would expect her to fight him, to be miserable, but what if she wasn’t?  What if she got close to him, got under his skin, got him to trust her? If she could make him fall for her, she would have the upper hand, and she’d be able to create an escape opportunity for herself. It was going to take work, though. She was going to have to make him feel like he was in charge. But she could do it, she knew she could.

Just as she was giving herself a final rinse, she heard muffled voices outside the bathroom door. After she had gotten out and wrapped a towel around herself, she heard a quick knock. It was Sandor, or, “The King” as he liked to be called.

 

“You decent in there?”

 

“Somewhat, your majesty.”

 

The door flung open and Sandor stepped in, smirking and making direct eye contact.

 

“Listen up, baby. They call me “King”, that’s it. No “your majesty” or “your grace”, none of that shit. Just “King.” Got it?”

 

“Yes, King.”

 

“Good. Now get dressed. I’m going to give you the grand tour and then you’ll need to get to work.” He tossed her a bundle of clothing and exited the room, closing the door behind him. Contained in the bundle was a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, a clean pair of underwear, and a clean bra. Clearly, someone had the job of doing the laundry.

 

Sandor took Sansa around the entire community, seeing every area both indoors and out. Inside there was a large cafeteria style kitchen with a few dozen picnic tables. There was also a medicine room, which only certain people had approval to enter, and then there were the bedrooms. He showed her a long hallway of small box-like rooms that all looked the same, it was like a motel. Then, on a separate hallway, he led her to what he said was her room. He held open the door for her and she stepped in. This room wasn’t like the others. There were clean, silky smooth white sheets on the large bed. There was a bookcase full of books, a flat screen TV, a large window with a view of the lake behind the building (which none of the other rooms had) and table and chairs. On top of the table was a vase with fresh flowers and a bottle of red wine and one wine glass. He liked her. Her plan of seducing him might be easier than she thought.

 

She turned to face him, folding her arms at her chest. “So you’re the King. Where’s the Queen?”

 

He gave a deep growling chuckle before responding. “There is no Queen. I have ten wives, though.”

 

Sansa was shocked. “TEN wives? Why so many?”

 

Sandor’s face became serious for a moment. “I guess...I guess I just can’t seem to find the one woman that fits the bill. Ten women, but none of them are fit to be Queen.” He looked her in the eye, so she knew he had meant what he said. She was exhausted still, and fortunately he took pity on her. “Why don’t you just rest for today. We’ll set you up with a job tomorrow. This way you’ll have time to think about what you’d like to do.”

Kindness. How refreshing. “Okay. Thanks.”

 

Sandor nodded once and then left, shutting the door behind him. Sansa listened at the door for a moment. She could hear him speaking to someone, as if he were giving them instructions. She couldn't understand most of what was being said, but she did manage to make out him saying, “You leave that door shut, she needs her privacy.” Straining to hear, it sounded like it might be that Dantos idiot again. Satisfied that she wasn’t going to be bothered any more, Sansa sank onto the plush bed, enjoying the feeling of the cool sheets against her skin. Her energy depleted, she fell asleep within a matter of minutes.

 

The next morning, Sansa answered a knock at her door. It was one of the ladies from the kitchen delivering a breakfast tray. “Let Dantos know when you’re done, and he’ll take you to your new job.”

 

“Okay, thank you.”

 

The woman set the tray on the table and left, shuffling quickly down the hallway. Sansa ate the fried eggs and toast with strawberry jam, and washed it down with the hot mug of coffee that had been provided for her. Less than twenty minutes after the tray was delivered, she was in the hallway with Dantos, headed toward the outside door. She had chosen a position working in the community garden. She’d get sun and fresh air, and it would give her a chance to memorize the routines of the guards that were outside. They put her to work straight away fertilizing tomato plants. This was the happiest she’d been in days.

 

Later that afternoon, she was in the shower. Her hands had gotten dirty while she was working in the garden, but it felt good. She was shampooing her hair when she glanced toward the cracked door and saw that Dantos was peering at her. She suddenly knew exactly how she was going to make her first move, but she wouldn’t do it yet. It was too soon.

 

When she got out of the shower, there was a large wrapped gift box in place of where her clothes had been. She opened the box to find a sparkly black dress. It was short and had spaghetti straps, clearly it was meant for someone else’s enjoyment. There was a card inside the box with her name on it. She opened it to find that it was an invitation to join Sandor for dinner in his personal dining hall. She didn’t care to spend time with him, but it would give her an opportunity to look behind the curtain, so to speak, so she told Dantos to take her there.

 

Sandor’s personal quarters were nothing like what she had expected. They were luxurious, full of expensive furnishings, silky fabrics, and various art pieces. When Dantos first led her in, Sandor was speaking with Joffrey, his right hand man. She had passed Joffrey in the halls a few times since moving in. His eyes were cold and calculating. Even though she didn’t know him at all, there was something about him that unsettled her. Sandor ordered both of the other men to leave, so that it was just the two of them.

 

“You look beautiful, have a seat. I hope you like surf and turf.”

 

A member of the kitchen staff brought out a tray of two plates that had steaks and lobster tails. There was also a large bowl of salad, a bottle of red wine, and a chocolate cake for dessert. It looked damn good. After Sandor and Sansa sat at the long mahogany dining table, the kitchen worker set their plates in front of them, poured the wine, and then left.

 

“I gotta say it, you are one of the most intriguing women that I’ve ever met.”

 

Sansa put down her fork. “That doesn’t mean much coming from a man with ten wives.”

 

Sandor let out a snicker. “Damn, woman. You don’t take any shit, do you? That’s why I like you. You’ve got a mouth on you, and a brain...not to mention other things.”

 

She knew exactly what he meant. She had seen him checking out her cleavage as he was helping her into her chair, and he checked out her ass just about every time she was in his presence.

 

“I asked you to this special dinner because, well, I have a proposal for you.”

 

Sansa squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. “What is it?”

 

He grinned and set down his glass of wine. “I want you to be one of my wives.”

 

Sansa burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. “Be one of your wives?  Oh, you mean I have the opportunity to be one of your eleven women? No thanks.”

 

Sandor had expected opposition from her, and he came prepared. “Well now, don’t be hasty. There are many privileges to being wife of the King. You get to live here, for one.” He gestured toward their surroundings with his hands. “You don’t have to work. You’d always get the best of everything. You would share my bed once every eleven days. What’s so bad about that?”

 

Sansa scoffed. “I have no desire to be some concubine or part of your harem.”

 

Sandor picked up his wine glass again, half squinting as if deep in thought. “What If I got rid of all the others. What if you were the only one?”

 

“You’re crazy.”

 

“Why does that make me crazy?”

 

“Because. I’m not going to have sex with you.”

 

“I didn’t ask you to have sex with me, I asked you to be my wife. My only wife. It would be just you and me and nobody else.”

 

“You’re telling me that you, a man, would give up banging a different woman every night in order to NOT bang me?”

 

He grinned at her again. He wasn’t backing down. “Well, now, when you put it that way, you take all the romance out of it...but yes.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Sometimes, if you want something different, you gotta be something different.”

 

Sansa thought about it. It might not be such a bad idea. It would keep him closer, and she’d get to see more of her surroundings. She might be able to spot weaknesses. “What are the terms?”

 

“You have to sleep in my room, share my bed, but I won’t touch you unless you ask me to.”

 

“And if I never ask?” She glared at him expectantly.

 

“Then I never touch you.”

 

Sansa appeared to be weighing her options, but she had already made up her mind. “Agreed.”

 

Sandor jumped up from his chair and disappeared into a nearby room, coming back a minute later with a chilled bottle of champagne. “This calls for a celebration!”

 

A celebration, indeed. Sansa had only been there a short period of time but had already managed to secure the affections of the leader. She was going to find a way out. She knew it.

 

***

 

The next morning, Sansa was in the shower once again. And, as usual, Dantos was assigned to stand guard at the door. Sansa wasn’t sure if he was there so that nobody else could come in, or so that she couldn’t escape. Either way, it was perfect. She grabbed the removable showerhead and quietly began hitting herself on her left forearm, over and over in the same spot, just below the elbow. It hurt, but she bit her bottom lip and endured the pain. When she felt she had done enough, she put the showerhead back in place and continued with her shower as usual.

 

That night, after a day of long walks outside to observe the comings and goings of the community, Sansa joined her new husband for dinner again. This was it. It was time to take action and put her pieces into place. She purposely wore a short sleeve shirt so that her left forearm would be visible. Sandor noticed the bruise immediately.

 

“Whoa, how did that happen?”

 

Sansa played coy. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just something stupid. I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

Sandor came closer. “Well we’re gonna talk about it. How did you get the bruise?  Did someone hit you?”

 

“No, not exactly.  It’s just...it’s difficult to explain.”

 

His face was the most serious she had ever seen it. “Try.”

 

“You’ll hurt him.”

 

“A man did this to you?  I won’t hurt him. I’ll kill him.” His fists were clenched so tight that his knuckles were white.  “Who did this? WHO?!?!” His voice boomed so loudly that Sansa flinched. “You’re mine. I don’t take kindly to other people touching what’s mine. And I sure as hell don’t want to provide food and shelter to someone who hurts women. Now tell me who did this or I’ll call a community meeting and start shooting people one by one until someone confesses.”

 

She finally blurted, “Dantos!”  He stared at her in disbelief. “It...it was Dantos.”

 

“Dantos? The idiot?”

 

“It happened when I was showering. It started off with him just watching, then he started staring, then he started touching himself while staring. Today, when I told him that he was scaring me, he came into the shower and grabbed my arm really hard. I said I’d tell you what he had done, but he said you would never believe me.”

 

Sandor hugged her to his chest. “It’s okay baby girl. I’m going to take care of it. You’re never gonna see him again.” Sansa grinned while her face was pressed against him. Her plan was working.

 

***

 

Within twenty minutes, the entire community was in the large warehouse where they held meetings. It was an emergency meeting, called for by the King. Sandor was with Sansa up in a balcony area, rubbing her back gently. ”You don’t have to be here, this is going to be some nasty shit.”

 

“I do. If I get special treatment, they’ll all hate me.”

 

Sandor nodded, knowing she was right, and then descended the metal stairs. He walked toward a small metal stage that had been constructed in the center of the room and climbed up onto it.

 

“You all are probably wondering why I’ve called this meeting. Well, as it turns out, we have someone among us who deserves some special recognition. Dantos, come here buddy.” Dantos stepped forward, the crowd parting for him. “It was brought to my attention that you may have overstepped your bounds with my woman.”

 

Dantos was in complete and utter shock.  “She’s lying!”

 

“Yeah...funny...she told me you’d say that.” The crowd was starting to hum with excitement. “Quiet!” Everyone hushed, and he continued. “When you violate the rules of our community, there are consequences. You think about that while I go join my lady.”

 

Sandor crossed the room and made his way up the metal stairs, standing once again up in the balcony next to Sansa.

 

Dantos looked at Sansa in desperation, his face pleading for her to do something. He wasn’t entirely innocent, he had stolen looks here and there while she was showering, but he had never touched her...and he had certainly not earned whatever punishment he was about to receive.

 

Sandor addressed the crowd once again. “Dantos, I sentence you to die at the hands of your fellow men. Your sentence will be carried out immediately. Due to the nature of your transgressions, you will not be buried in the community plot.“ Sansa could feel adrenaline coursing through her veins. Sandor continued. “I’d ask if you have any last words but, truth be told, I really don’t give a shit.”

 

Dantos began begging, screaming, searching for an escape like a trapped wild animal, but it was useless. Sandor gave one nod, and the crowd ascended onto Dontos like floodwater. Less than one minute later, they had beaten him to death with their bare hands.

 

As Sansa watched, she began shaking. She reached her hand out and found Sandor’s. He grinned at the contact and tightened his grip. When it was all over, Dantos’ body was burned in a large bonfire outside. His ashes were used in the garden.

 

When Sansa went to bed with Sandor that night, she thanked him for what he had done. Then, she rolled over and went to sleep. He was already smitten with her, but she had decided that tomorrow was going to be the day his trust in her would solidify, she would make sure of that.

 

***

 

The next morning, Sansa awoke to the sight of Sandor watching her. He didn’t say a word, just lied there, speechless, motionless, as if he were drinking in the sight of her.  She rolled to her side, putting her weight on the elbow closest to him. After a few seconds of hesitation, she pressed her lips to his. Then again. And again. They kissed thoroughly and passionately for almost half an hour before Sansa decided it was time for the next part of her plan.

 

She pulled back for a moment. “I’m scared.”

 

“Of what?”

 

“People are going to come after me.”

 

“Now why the hell would anyone come after you?”

 

“Well, let’s see, there’s the ten wives who used to live in luxury and now live in tiny rooms. You should see the way they look at me when I see them around the commune. Daggers. And then there’s Dantos’ friends. They’ll see his death as my fault. He died because I told you.”

 

Sandor pressed a finger to her lips. “You worry too much. Nobody is gonna come after you. If they do, I’ll kill them. You’re safe with me. You will always be safe with me.”

 

Sansa gave him another brief kiss and then got out of bed. “I’m going to get coffee.”

 

“You don’t need to get anything ever again. I’ll have someone bring it to us.”

 

“Don’t be silly. I could use the walk.” Sansa dressed quickly and headed toward the door. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

 

On her way to the kitchen, Sansa walked by one of the supply rooms, then turned around, making sure nobody was watching, and went inside. This particular supply room wasn’t guarded because it didn’t contain any food or weapons, just paper products and general household items. It took a few passes, but she found what she was looking for, right between the bug spray and the wood sealer. Arsenic. There were several small bottles. She chose the one in the very back and tucked it onto her pocket.

 

Once at the kitchen, Sansa picked up a tray and loaded it with two mugs of coffee, one white and one black. Her back to everyone, she put a few drops of arsenic into the white one. When she turned around, she spotted Joffrey at one of the counters, snacking on a handful of nuts. She approached him.

 

“Joffrey, would you please bring these to Sandor’s room. We both would appreciate it.”

 

Joffrey rolled his eyes and huffed. “Sure.” Sansa handed the tray over to him and made her way back to the room. When she stepped inside, Sandor was in the middle of getting dressed. Almost as soon as she had shut the door, Joffrey knocked with their coffee.

 

Sandor zipped his jeans up quickly. “Come on in, Joff.”

 

Joffrey entered and set the tray of coffee on the table. Sandor and Joffrey conversed briefly in hushed voices, and then Joffrey left. Sansa handed Sandor the black mug of coffee, and she gave herself the white.  Before taking a sip, she sniffed hers, then screamed ”STOP!!!”

 

Sansa took his coffee and placed it on the table, then held his face in her hands. “Did you drink any of that? Did you?”

 

“No, not yet, what the hell is the matter with you?”

 

She held her cup up to his nose.  “Smell mine. Don’t drink, just smell.”

 

“What is that? It smells like...like faint garlic.”

 

“It’s arsenic. Poison.” She put her mug back on the table and picked up his. She sniffed it, then held it out for him.  “Yours smells perfectly normal. It was only in mine.”

 

Sansa put the mug down again and crossed her arms.  “I have nothing to worry about, huh?”

 

Sandor was enraged. He ran and put his leather jacket on, then turned toward Sansa and grabbed her by the shoulders. “Lock the door behind me and don’t leave this room. Daddy’s got to lay down the law.”

 

“What are you going to do, kill everyone?”

 

“If I have to.”

 

“Sandor, wait!” She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave him a heated kiss. “Be careful.”

 

He grinned widely in response. It was the first time she had shown any sign of really caring about him. He gave her cheek a quick caress and he was out the door, giving Sansa time alone to plot her next move.

 

Sandor went to the kitchen, picking up two of his most loyal thugs along the way. He asked to smell the pot of coffee, but it was completely normal. Joffrey had brought them the coffee...maybe he would know something. He was going to have to find him, and he did, lurking around a fire pit outside.

“Hey Joff, been looking for you.” Sandor stood face to face with Joffrey, the two thugs flanking him. “Did anybody else touch that coffee tray you brought us?”

 

“No, just me. I took it straight from the kitchen to your place.”

 

“Hmm. Well can you think of any reason why my lady might have been unhappy with hers?”

 

“Geez, I don’t know. Maybe it’s that time of the month?”

 

Sandor was not amused. He picked Joffrey up by the scruff of his shirt and slammed him up against a nearby brick wall. “You have a smart mouth for a dead man. Tape him.” The two thugs held Joffrey in place as they duct taped over his mouth and then taped his wrists and ankles together.

 

“You messed with my woman, brother, which means you messed with me.  I thought you were someone I could count on.” Joffrey was frantically attempting to say something, but it was unclear since his mouth was taped shut.  “Boys, show him what happens when someone fucks with royalty.”

 

The men picked Joffrey up and carried him down the dirt path toward the lake that was situated behind the main building. Once there, they walked out onto the dock, all the way to the end. They noticed that Joffrey had pissed himself out of fear. They picked him up and hurled him into the water, then stood there and watched as he sank. When they were satisfied that he had drowned, they returned to the compound and gave Sandor the news.

 

Sansa spent most of the day walking around, trying not to think about what was going to happen to Joffrey. She poked around the garden a bit, spent some time napping in a hammock, and when the sun started going down, she went back to the home she shared with Sandor.

 

The place was empty when she got there, but less than an hour later Sandor returned.

 

Sansa feigned concern. “Are you okay? What happened?”

 

“It was Joff. I gotta admit, this one stung a little.”

 

“Where is he?”

 

“He’s gone.”

 

“You killed him?”

 

Sandor approached her and put his hands on her waist. “I had it taken care of. You will never see him again, baby.”

 

Sansa pulled him close and hugged him tight, allowing the hug to linger more than usual. She began rubbing his back with her hands, then brushing her lips against his neck. Before long, she was kissing him everywhere that her lips could reach. To his surprise, she reached behind him and locked the deadbolt on their door.

 

Sansa removed his jacket, then his shirt, then began removing her own shirt. Sandor came closer to help, lifting it high over her head.

 

“Make love to me.”

 

He stood there, mouth agape, as if the thought had never crossed his mind. “Are you Sure?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“You know you don’t have to.”

 

“Yes, I know. I also know that nobody has ever taken care of me like you have, and as hard as I try, I can’t deny that I want you.”

 

Sandor took her gently by the hand and led her into the bedroom, closing the door behind them.

 

***

 

The next morning, Sandor and Sansa woke up naked, legs tangled, still glowing from their activities just hours before.

 

Sansa decided to have a little fun with him. “You’re awfully trusting, having me sleep in your bed all this time. I could have killed you a hundred times.”

 

“Nah. I figure if you wanted to kill me you would have tried it by now.”

 

“Fair enough.”

 

“I’ve been thinking...I want today to be all yours. What would you like to do?”

 

“I don’t know. I haven’t been fishing in a while.”

 

“Fishing it is. You pack us a lunch and I’ll get my brother Greg.”

 

“Your brother? I thought we’d go just the two of us.”

 

“Yeah, but Greg knows all the good spots. I want to make sure we catch something.”

 

“Oh. Okay, I guess that’s fine.” Sansa put on a fresh set of clothes and leaned down to give him a kiss. “I’ll meet you at the truck in half an hour.”

 

Opportunities were presenting themselves to Sansa much earlier than she expected. Sandor was ever the devoted “husband”, so Sansa just needed to play her cards right. She was going to be alone in the woods with only two men. If she planned well, she would be returning to her family this evening.

 

Sansa made her way to the armory shed that she had stumbled upon a few days prior. She told the guard that Sandor wanted him to do a perimeter check of the compound. Everyone knew who she was now, and they all knew what happened if they didn’t honor her position, so he didn’t question it at all and he took off toward the outer fence. Once the coast was clear, Sansa went inside the shed. There were hundreds of guns. Rifles, shotguns, even some crossbows...but Sansa ended up pocketing a small pistol. Walking in further, she found an assortment of knives laid out on a stainless steel table. She touched a few before picking up a small pocket knife. She was examining the blade when the door to the shed suddenly swung open.

 

It was Sandor. “What are you doing?”

 

“I thought we could use a knife in case we snag a line or something.”

 

He nodded and gave a brief smile, then left. Sansa sighed a breath of relief and headed for the kitchen. She filled a cooler with sandwiches and canned drinks, then had a couple of guys carry it out to the big truck.

 

Within an hour, Sansa, Sandor, and his brother Greg were in the middle of lush green forest. There was a cliff that jutted out above a river and rocky terrain, but they fished from a small stream that weaved throughout the trees. Almost as soon as they got there, Greg excused himself saying that he needed to take a piss. Sansa told Sandor that she was going to walk around and explore their surroundings. She carefully made her way through the trees and found herself facing Greg’s back. He was standing on the edge of the cliff, pissing down onto the rocks that were at least 40 feet below. She couldn’t hesitate. The time was now. Sansa ran forward and shoved with all of her might, sending Greg down to a rocky death below. He screamed as he was falling, but went silent when his head landed on a large boulder.

 

Sansa could hear Sandor running toward her through the woods. She took the gun from her pocket and pointed it in the direction of the rustling. When Sandor finally broke through, he saw the gun pointed at him and froze.

 

“So, this is your big move, huh?” Sansa didn’t respond. He took one step closer. “I gotta say, I’m impressed. Every move you made has been impressive, actually.”

 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“Oh yes. Yes you do. Dantos. Joff. The coffee thing was my favorite...giving the poison to yourself instead of me...fucking brilliant.”

 

“If you knew I was doing all those things, why didn’t you stop me.”

 

“The same reason I’m not shoving you off that cliff right now. I want you, I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you. And, truth be told, you wanted me, too.”

 

“That’s not true.”

 

“Like hell it isn’t. You held my hand. You kissed me. You asked me to make love to you. You did all those things because you wanted to.”

 

“What’s your point?”

 

“My point is, darlin’, that you and I are good together. Sure, you could go home, go back to your family, back to being no one. Or, you could stay here with me. Be my wife, be the Queen. We could rule that place together, you and I. You would never want for anything. I’d make sure of it.”

 

“You’re wrong. I would want my family, my real life.”

 

“You ain’t the same girl anymore, darlin. You framed two innocent men and it got them killed. You killed my brother. I hated that fucker, but still, you killed him. You did all that because you’re a survivor. You think your wholesome little family will get that? No way in hell. Nobody can understand you like I can.” He took another step toward her. “Put the gun down, come with me, and all will be forgiven. Share my bed. Share my life.”

 

Sansa realized that as they were speaking, Sandor had circled around her so that they had changed position. Now he was on the edge of the cliff and she was standing with her back to the trees. “No. I’m going home. To my family. They might be wholesome and boring, but they love me.”

 

“And I don’t?”

 

“Of course not.”

 

“You got that wrong, darlin.’ But don’t worry, someday I’ll make it clear to you. Just not today.”

Without warning, Sandor jumped backward from the cliff.

 

Sansa screamed and ran, dropping to her knees as she neared the edge, looking down to see that Sandor had landed in the river below. She watched as he swam across to the other side, then crawled out and looked back at her. Dripping wet, he smiled at her, then quickly headed for a dense area of forest. To her surprise, she smiled back. Not wanting to try her luck, she ran back to the truck and got in. To her delight, it was equipped with GPS navigation. She punched in her parents’ address and started the long drive home. She had been missing for over a week. How would she explain the past seven days to her family? Sandor was right, they probably wouldn’t understand.

 

Later that evening, just as she was pulling into her parents’ driveway, it occurred to her that the truth might be more than they could handle. Steeling herself, she got out of the truck and made her way toward the front door. She was going to have to come up with an explanation, or at the very least, a believable story. And she was going to have to come up with it fast.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sansa is home safe, but life is anything but normal.

It was the morning after Sansa had returned home, and she had hardly slept at all. After hours of talking to her parents and giving her story to the local authorities, she was exhausted, but the events of the past few days replayed in her head over and over, making sleep impossible. Upon arriving home, she had decided to only tell her parents and the police part of the story. She had gotten lost hiking, met people who lived nearby, and they nursed her back to health and let her borrow a truck to get back home. She said she had promised the mystery good samaritans that she would return their truck later. How she would do that, she had no idea. Maybe she’d just leave it abandoned in the woods somewhere.

 

The actual truth would have been too messy. The authorities were already involved to an extent.  Her parents had called 911 the morning after she had left for her hike, once they realized she had never returned the previous evening. Over the next couple of days, a search party was gathered, and volunteers had scoured the nearby woods looking for her. Little did everyone know that she was living on a compound, “wife” to the man in charge, and doing unspeakable things to survive.

 

She couldn’t tell them the things she had done. Even if it was to escape. Even if it was in self defense. Her parents would never have looked at her the same. And the police, they would want more information. She had killed people. Could she go to jail? Would the police raid the compound and put Sandor in jail, or would they kill him on sight, if they knew what he was capable of? No, it was much easier to leave out the gritty details and just focus on the fact that she had been lost, someone had helped her, and now she was home.

 

Abandoning hope of getting any rest, Sansa got out of bed and slipped her feet into a pair of fuzzy flip-flop type slippers, heading downstairs for a much needed cup of coffee. When she reached the kitchen, she found that there was already a pot of coffee made, half empty, with a post-it next to the coffee maker. The note read:

 

**Sansa-**

**Your father and I had to go into town for groceries and some supplies.**

**Be back this evening.**

**Love,**

**Mom**

 

Sansa poured herself a cup of coffee and sat at the small wooden dining table. She felt empty, almost numb. She should be happy about finally being home, safe with family, surrounded by people who loved and cared about her. But she didn’t. It was then that she glanced out the front window and noticed that the truck was gone. There was a brick on the ground where it had been parked. Sansa threw on a jacket and walked out the front door and down the steps. She stopped for a brief moment to look around.  Satisfied she was alone after all, she walked toward the brick and picked it up. There was a piece of jute twine wrapped around it several times with a folded piece of paper underneath. She removed the slip of paper and let the brick fall to the ground. Opening it up, she found that the paper was a note that had been left specifically for her. The realization hit her full-force. Sandor had found her. He knew where she was. He had been there at her parents’ house.

 

Sansa immediately felt a rush of fear, but also a buzz of excitement. She had planned to go on with her life as if nothing had ever gone awry, but obviously that wasn’t going to happen now. The note scrawled on the paper was brief:

 

**Sorry darlin’, I needed the truck.**

**I also need my wife.**

**Blueberry farm, noon.**

**Just you and me.**

**-S**

 

He wanted to meet. There was a blueberry farm just one mile from her parents’ house, the only one she was aware of in the area. It was closed for the season, so there wouldn’t be anyone there. They would be alone. She thought of what had happened the last time they were alone with each other, and the time before that. Being around him, as frightening as it could be at times, was also a turn-on. He was powerful, and charismatic, and something about that did things to something within her. Her body reacted to the memory of what they had done to one another in bed. How the dangerous rogue had been so gentle, almost intuitive. The idea of being with him in that way again suddenly made an aching warmth spread between her thighs. But what if he tried to kidnap her? What if he tried to kill her? No, he wouldn’t do that. But he might take her back and keep her from ever escaping again. In his eyes, she was his. She would always be his.

 

After trying unsuccessfully to relax for a bit, Sansa ran upstairs and took a quick shower, throwing on a pair of jeans and a red hoodie along with a comfortable pair of shoes. She was going to meet him, she had to see him again. She had made up her mind and it wasn’t going to change. Realizing that she would have no way of contacting anyone or calling for help should things go badly, she decided to arm herself. Her father was a judge in the local county court and kept several firearms for protection. Looking through the gun cabinet in her parents’ bedroom, she chose a small pistol that would be easy to use but not easily visible. Next, she opened her father’s tackle box to find a sharp pocket knife that he used to cut snagged fishing line. Again, it was an effective weapon, but small enough that she could slip it into her pocket and nobody would be able to detect that it was there until it was too late.

 

She looked down at her watch. 11:45AM. Time to go. She started down the little dirt road toward the blueberry farm, constantly keeping herself aware of her surroundings. She had considered taking a path through the woods so that she could arrive without anyone knowing and spy on what awaited her, but she decided against it. She was stepping up toward the farm’s entrance gate a few minutes later when she saw movement. She crouched down among the hedges that lined the entrance, hoping to get a peek at what was going on. It was quiet, nobody was talking, and all she saw was one man, Sandor, pacing back and forth with his hands in his pockets. He was alone. And for some reason, she wasn’t scared.

 

Sansa approached the gate and let herself in, the creaking of the metal capturing Sandor’s attention. He came toward her smiling, his hands still in his pockets.

 

“I thought I’d never see you again.”

 

Sansa kept her distance. “I thought I’d never let you.”

 

“Oh, come on now. I seem to remember you enjoying my company quite a bit. In fact, if memory serves me right, you were squeezing your arms around me, begging me not to stop.”

 

Sansa crossed her arms, trying her best not to be affected by his charm. “What do you want?”

 

“You.”

 

“Well you can’t have me.”

 

“And why is that?” With each response, he took a step closer.

 

“Because I don’t want any part of this. When I got back home, I left out a lot. I didn’t mention you, or the compound, or your brother, or anyone else for that matter. I know you want to be some pretend king and live in this fantasy world where I’m your queen, but it isn’t going to happen. That’s not real life.”

 

“Oh?  And what is real life, sweetheart?”

 

“For me, it’s being at home with my family. Living a nice, quiet, normal life where I don’t get kidnapped. Nobody hurts me, and I don’t hurt anyone.”

 

Sandor stiffened, his hands were now fists at his sides. “You know if anyone tried to hurt you, I’d kill them, right? I would rip their fucking throat out with my bare hands if I needed to. Tell me you get that.”

 

Sansa sighed in frustration. “I get it. But what you don’t seem to be getting is, I don’t want that life. I don’t want to rule anyone or anything. I don’t want to live on a compound. And I don’t want to be your wife.”

 

The second half of that last sentence had stung him a little, she could see it in his face. “Alright. What if you’re not my wife and you don’t live on the compound. You’re just my woman, and you visit a couple times a week. That’s a fair compromise, right?”

 

“No. You still don’t get it. I don’t want any part of it. None. I want to go on with my life like you and your community never existed. It’s the only way I’m ever going to feel normal.”

 

He looked defeated, and he had been. All hope that he had been hanging on to was now drained, leaving him empty. He didn’t know what to say, but he felt like he needed to say something before she ran away and he never saw her again.

 

“Okay. I understand. After today, you will never see me again unless you want to. I just have one small, little, tiny request.”

 

She shot him a skeptical look. “Spit it out.”

 

“I want to be with you one last time. One last time before we go our separate ways.”

 

“Be with me?”

 

“You know exactly what I mean. Don't be coy with me.” He stepped closer, finally reaching her, and placing his hands on her upper arms. “I’d never make you, you know that. But if we could, just one last time, it would give me something to hang on to. A happy memory to think about when you’re gone.”

 

Her brain wanted to tell him no, but her body betrayed her. His touch did something to her that she couldn’t even begin to explain, it was something that could only be felt. She nodded her consent, and he pulled her closer.

 

After successfully breaking into the store on the farm, they spent the next two hours inside, exploring each other’s bodies and making love in half a dozen different positions. They fit each other perfectly, it was almost as if they were made for each other. He knew the right thing to do every time, where to touch her in order to give her the most pleasure, what to say to her that would send her over the edge, and how to hold her afterwards.

 

Later, they were quietly pulling their clothes on when Sandor had to speak.

 

“If I never see you again, I want you to keep in mind that you chose to leave. It was your choice. I wanted you. I’ll always want you. Remember that.”

 

Sansa nodded, surprised at the sensation of tears welling in her eyes. They embraced one last time. She was nuzzling his neck when she was startled by a loud beeping sound. The sound grew louder and louder. Was it an alarm? Before she could think on it much further, Sansa’s world went black.

 

Sansa’s eyelids felt heavy, but the black was slowly turning to pink and then white. She opened her eyes and saw white ceiling tiles above her. Looking around, there was a pain chart on the wall with various faces, as well as a few beeping machines next to her, and she was laying on her back in a terribly uncomfortable bed. She was in the hospital. But why? Other than being tired, she felt fine. Within a few seconds her mother entered the room, eyes wide with delight, rushing toward her.

 

“Oh, honey. You’ve been out for so long. We were worried sick about you.” She squeezed Sansa tight and kissed her forehead.

 

“Mom, I was only gone a few hours. Why were you worried? What’s going on?”

 

“You don’t remember?  You left the house to go on a hike and you never came back. Your father and I were worried sick. The search party found you about three days later, you were passed out on the ground, dirty and severely dehydrated. But don’t worry, the doctor says you’re going to be fine.”

 

As soon as her mother had ended her sentence, a large man in a white coat came through the doorway. There was a stethoscope resting on the back of his neck and he was carrying a large clipboard. His sleek black hair was tied back in a low ponytail.

 

“Hello Sansa, I’m your attending physician, Dr. Clegane. Glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?”

 

What the hell was going on? “I’m okay, I guess. Nothing hurts.”

 

“Well that’s good. You’ve had a rough few days, but you’re recovering nicely. We just want to run a few more tests and then hopefully you’ll get to go home tomorrow. In the meantime, I think it’s best that we keep your visitor time to a minimum, too much excitement could stall your recovery.”

 

With that, Sansa’s mother kissed her goodbye and left the room. Dr. Clegane stayed, taking her blood pressure, checking her IV levels, and jotting down a few things on his clipboard. Sansa noticed a few pangs of hunger in her stomach. She probably hadn’t eaten solid food in days.

 

“I’m starving. Can I eat anything that doesn't come in an IV?”

 

Dr. Clegane smiled at her and chuckled. “Well darlin’, normally I’d make you wait 8 hours for solid food, but you seem to be wide awake and all of your vitals are normal, so I’ll make an exception.”

 

He left the room and came back a couple of minutes later, placing a tray on the table next to Sansa’s bed. He removed the lid to reveal half of a sandwich, an apple, and a glass of water.

 

“There’s plenty more where that came from. If you finish, we’ll get you another tray.” He gave Sansa a wink and left the room. She was now more anxious than hungry.

On the table, next to her food tray, there was a small stack of letters, all addressed to her. Her mother must have dropped off her mail earlier. Flipping through the envelopes, she came across something from NYU. She had applied to their advanced creative writing program, but hadn’t received a reply. She nervously opened the envelope and unfolded the page that was inside. The letter began with, “Congratulations on your acceptance…” She squealed with glee. She had been accepted into the most prestigious writing class in the US, and in an instant, she knew exactly what she would write for her first story.


End file.
